Wearables Linked to Higher Specific, Informal Health Care Use in A-Fib

TUESDAY, Aug. 13, 2024 (HealthDay News) — For patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), wearable devices are associated with higher AF-specific health care use and informal health care resource use, according to a study published in the Aug. 6 issue of the Journal of the American Heart Association.

Lindsey Rosman, Ph.D., from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and colleagues conducted a retrospective, propensity-matched study of patients with AF to compare AF-specific health care use and informal health care use between wearable users and nonusers during a nine-month period. Data were included for 172 patients with AF, 83 of whom used a wearable.

The researchers found that wearable users reported higher rates of symptom monitoring and preoccupation than nonusers, and reported more AF treatment concerns. Overall, 20 percent of wearable users experienced anxiety, and in response to notifications of irregular rhythm, they always contacted their doctor. Significantly greater AF-specific health care use was seen among wearable users than nonusers after matching, including significantly higher rates of electrocardiograms, echocardiograms/transesophageal echocardiogram, and ablation. The likelihood of using informal health care resources was also significantly higher for wearable users versus nonusers.

“These findings underscore the need for further investigation into the potential effects of wearable devices on patients” health care use and psychological well-being, as well as the downstream effects on providers, clinic workflow, and health care expenditures,” the authors write.

Several authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical and medical device industries.

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